Unpopular Winners

goodburger

Have any of you guys experienced being an unpopular winner of a major because you have won a lot of comps.

I have seen it happen and the runner up has received a huge roar of applause but the main winner recieves a less than enthusiastic reception. I felt sorry for the winner, and would have hated to be her/him.

If they have played their best all year and not held back for the major this reception was wrong in my opinion, however, if they are known for holding til the major to win the prize then i can understand the reaction.

What do you think.

steelbar

I agree with you completely, there are way too many people who hold back for the bigger competitions. Project their handicap, and get the 0.1's when they need them.

It's not fair on the honest golfer who goes out every time to try and play well and hopefully get cut. And if you are lucky, pick up a prize.

There is too much emphasis put on winning, but i suppose that is the nature of the beast. If winning means that much to them, it makes it so much better when you beat them!!!

Also then there are clubs that targeting certain competitions, Barton, Jimmy Bruen,Pierce Purcell,etc, and get a team on the right handicaps so they will be competitive.
Now I am all for putting out a strong team, but making sure that none of the team members go below a certain handicap, is just not right.
I know that the GUI has provisions in place for inter club teams, ie playing at least 4 qualifing round in the previous yr. But golf is based on honesty, and while the vast majority will abide to it, there are always a few who dont and ruin it for everyone else

Im sure this has been mentioned before on the forum, but i had to get it of my chest.

Looking forward to a good summer and loads of golf!

Mister Sifter

The whole point of golf to me has always been to get my handicap down as low as possible. Winning competitions has always came second. Maybe i've got my priorities wrong, but i always see gaining 0.1 as a bad thing.

WHIP IT!

Graeme1982 wrote: »

The whole point of golf to me has always been to get my handicap down as low as possible. Winning competitions has always came second. Maybe i've got my priorities wrong, but i always see gaining 0.1 as a bad thing.

Well said Graeme - what's he point in "protecting" your handicap?? Mind you, personally, a chance to protect it would be a fine thing - I'm in a year long slump that's seen me fail to match it in all but one round since last august... Soul-destroying.

whatawaster

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Well said Graeme - what's he point in "protecting" your handicap?? Mind you, personally, a chance to protect it would be a fine thing - I'm in a year long slump that's seen me fail to match it in all but one round since last august... Soul-destroying.

i wonder will your game "mysteriously" fall into place for the captains prize!

steelbar

And as for the " I couldn't play off that handicap" excuse for pulling up.
It drives me mad.


Isn't that what 0.1's are for? If you cant play to a handicap, it will become fairly evident very quickly. And you will get back to the level that you are able to play at.

stockdam

I guess you're pointing out the unfairer side of "golf".

When there are prizes (or big) prizes then people will do whatever they "need" to do.

In a way the only category that matter is the lowest one (under 4) as everyone (I think) is trying to get as low as possible.

I don't play in competitions for the reasons you have given.....there are far too many people who come in with 45 points on the "big" day.

Personally I would rather play off say 5 and win nothing than play off 18 and win lots.

WHIP IT!

whatawaster wrote: »

i wonder will your game "mysteriously" fall into place for the captains prize!

Heh Heh - I sure hope so!

While we're here, I've just arrived home from the Monty at Carton House. Birdied the last for 39points. Best I've felt on a golf course in a very long time. Is the slump over?? We'll see, but God Damnit I hope so!!

rigal

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Heh Heh - I sure hope so!

While we're here, I've just arrived home from the Monty at Carton House. Birdied the last for 39points. Best I've felt on a golf course in a very long time. Is the slump over?? We'll see, but God Damnit I hope so!!

That's damn fine shooting Whip it!

madds

What time were you playing at Whip? I drove by the 18th green at 8pm this evening on my way up to the GUI facility. Saw this guy running round stark naked shouting "You're the man" before he jumped into the lake beside the green!

WHIP IT!

rigal wrote: »

That's damn fine shooting Whip it!

Thanks alot Rig', it's the round of my life by two shots (84, 12-over par. Modest by alot of people's standards but my best ever day on the links).

Funny thing is, this round could honestly not have come out of nowhere any more than it did. I played Naas last Wednesday and finished with something like 23 points and hated every minute of it.

Most pleasing aspect of the round was the fact I hit the ball better as the round went on - even though I knew I was on course for a real good round. Usually this would be the signal for me to get edgy and mess up and turn 36/7 points into 32.

Had a sticky patch on closing nine with two one-pointers on 14&15. Then, when I snap-hooked my drive on the par-four 16th it looked like I'd fallen apart as usual. But, a solid five iron out of heavy rough got me right back in play and I then stuck a wedge to about five feet and drained the putt. Par-three 17th, found the green for a routine par leaving me standing on the 18th tee with 36pts knowing par would give me 13 over, my best round by a shot.

I must admit - I know I'm beginning to gush now so I'll wrap this up - to being extremely proud of how I played 18 (par five, Ind 18). I hit my straightest, bestest drive of the day right down the middle. I hit my longest, straightest, bestest iron of the day for my second, again straight down the middle... I had about 70yds to the pin and picked it perfectly off the turf and stuck it to 6 feet and I never had any doubt I would make the putt.

Oh, and had a tasty deuce on 12 as well! :pac: :cool:

Chuffed, to say the least!

WHIP IT!

madds wrote: »

What time were you playing at Whip? I drove by the 18th green at 8pm this evening on my way up to the GUI facility. Saw this guy running round stark naked shouting "You're the man" before he jumped into the lake beside the green!

I WAS NOT naked!!....... still had my golf glove on!!

whatawaster

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I WAS NOT naked!!....... still had my golf glove on!!

on what?

Golferx

A subject close to my heart. I play off 13 and, in reality, hit CSS about one round in five.

Look at the following results I noticed (I blanked out the surnames)from a newspaper this week

1. John ************ (19) 47 Pts
2. Jack ********** (21) 40 Pts
3. Daniel ******* (25) 40 Pts
4. Eddie ******** (17) 39 Pts
5. Robert ****** (17) 39 Pts
6. Dan ******** (16) 38 Pts
7. Liam ********(13) 38 Pts
8. T.W. ***** (11) 38 Pts
9. Barry ******* (13) 38 Pts
10. Dan ****** (21) 37 Pts

IMO, the handicaps in the likes of that competition need to be looked at.
FFS, the first placed golfer shot a Gross of 8 over par, and plays of 19?

Another rule I'd like to see is the awarding of a placing on count-back. IMO if two golfers are tied on the same total the lower handicap player should be placed above the higher handicapper.

Mister Sifter

I've been amazed at just how many clubs play stablefords over here. I think my club in Scotland has just one per year.

I know in my club in Dublin that scores are always much higher in medals than stablefords. In an 18 hole competition i think that every shot should count. Stablefords offer a definite advantage to certain players.

WHIP IT!

I play Carton house quite regularly as a friend of mine is a member there, he was telling me you'll win nothing in any of the comps there unless you're breaking 40-odd points... If you ask me, your handicap should not allow you to be shooting 43points off the competition tees at Carton House - two tough golf courses. Somethings amiss if a fella is scoring like that around there imo.

Plus 10

I agree this is a topic which makes many competitions a bit of a joke. I know a few guys myself who rarely play in competitions and in my opinion their handicap is nowhere near where it should be.

The guys whose handicap is too high - in fact rather than singles competitions where they may do well - it is the 4balls and the team competitions where these guys really annoy me as they just continue to get away with it.